Beijing vows to attract 180,000 overseas students by 2020

Beijing plans to attract more than 180,000 exchange students by 2020, an increase of 112 percent over the current number, according to the municipal educational bureau.

A plan recently issued by the bureau aims to explore a new way to administer exchange students and provide better services for students who wish to study here in the coming years.

"Overseas students could have Chinese roommates while they study in Beijing, this could allow them to study together for the purpose of strengthening cultural exchanges," an official with the educational bureau said, adding that most overseas students don't have Chinese roommates at present.

Beijing will increase overseas enrollment in the next nine years, promote cooperation between schools in Beijing and abroad and offer more summer and winter educational programs for overseas students, according to the plan.

Official statistics show that 81 universities in Beijing hosted exchange students from 184 countries last year.